Stephen palmer



(No Model.)

S. PALMER.

WINDOW BLIND SLAT.

No. 346,678. Patented Aug. 3, 1886.

lJNiTED STATES ATENT FFICE.

STEPHEN PALMER, OF LANSINGBURG, NEYV YORK.

WINDOW-BLIND SLAT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 346,678, dated August3, I886.

Applicatiqi filed December 3i, 1885. Serial No. 187,265. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, STEPHEN PALMER,2L resident of Lansingburg, in thecounty of Rensselaer and State of New York, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Vindow-Blind Slats; and I do hereby declarethat the following is a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, that will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon,which form a part of this specification.

Similar letters refer to similar parts in the several figures therein.

My invention relates to improvements in window-blind slats, and moreparticularly to I slats adjustable or rotary in the blind-frame.

size and depth approximating the size and length of the dowels or pivotswhich are formed on the ends of the respective slats. The dowels of theslats and the tenons of the rails are inserted in their respective seatsand mortises in the stiles, and the stiles forced against thetenon-shoulders of the rails, where they are securely fastened, and whenthe individual slats are secured to the blind-rod the construction issubstantially formed. It not unfrequently happens that the stiles warpand bend in use,which forces them slightly out of parallel and causesthem to impinge upon the dowel-faces or slat ends so tightly as to makeit impracticable to adjust them, or leaves the slats so loose they willnot remain in the desired position to which they have been adjusted.

The object of my invention is to provide a blind-slat easily adjusted,adapted to resist the power of the elements to change its adjustment,and adapted to conform to changes in the relative position of the partsof a blindframe without materially enhancing the cost or changingthegeneral style of construction heretofore in use.

Figure l of the drawings is a front elevation ofa windowblind with aportion of the stiles broken away to show the slat-dowel'and their seatsin the stiles. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the side of a detached stilefacing the slats when framed. Fig. 3 is a plan view of a blindslatdetached. Fig. 4 is a crosssection taken at broken line XX in Fig. 2.Fig. 5 is an end view of slat shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a centralsection of a metallic cap for the slat-dowel. Fig. 7 is a plan View ofthe open end or base of the cap.

A A are the stiles, and B B the rails of the blind-frame which supportthe-slats O. The slats are connected with each other in tne usual mannerby a rod, B. Each slat is provided at its ends with a cylindrical dowel,D, adapted to enter a corresponding aperture or seat in the stiles. Theseats a are formed in the usual manner by a bit or anger. The screw ofthe bit forms a small aperture, d, in the center of the bottom of theseat. By providing the dowelswith a tapering or beveled end, 6,projecting centrally from the end of the dowel, the point of which is alittle smaller than the central aperture, (1, the beveled end will findits proper seat in the central aperture and pivotally support its slat.

I have ascertained by experiment that this method of construction hasmany advantages over the old method, among which are the following: Thestiles being made of a soft yielding material, that part which surroundsthe aperture (I will yield sufficiently to permit the beveled end of thedowel to be forced a considerable distance into the aperture after ithas been advanced to contact with its edges or walls, whereby a firmseat can be given to all the dowels, notwithstanding the fact that somemay be shorter than others, and that some of the seats may be deeperthan others. Furthermore the bearing-points of the ends d being so neartheir longitudinal axis on account of their small diameter, the slatscan be easily turned by rod R, even when a very considerable pressure isexerted by the stiles upon all the dowels. At the same time theresistance afforded by the pressure of the stiles upon some of the dowelends will be sufficient to prevent the slats from rattling or beingturned by the wind. In case the'stiles warp or bend slightly out ofparallel, the result is simply to increase or diminish the pressure ofthe stiles upon some of the dowel ends without materially changing orafi'ecting the operation of the slats.

The mortises b in the stiles are adapted to receive the tenons shown bydotted lines in Fig. 1 of the rails, by which the frame is heldtogether, as before described.

\Vhen desireththe conical ends of the dowels may be covered bysimilarly-shaped metallic caps E. (Shown in Figs. 6 and 7.) These capsmay be swaged out of thin sheet metal and ings, or some of them, itbeing necessary to produce a point or vertex which will enter the mouthof the small central aperture, d.

The cylindrical portion of the dowel may be of any desired length or thedowels may be tapered from their shoulders g.

I am aware that a conical dowel or pivot and differential socketrespectively on the slat and in the stiles are not new; but whereverused the shoulder around the larger end of dowel fits fiat down upon thesurface around the top of the conical hole in stile; hence it does notanswer my purpose. I am only aiming to improve the ordinary slat-blindsand stiles made of wood. The stiles are very liable to warp and thedowels to be slightly diferent in length, so that when put together theywill not joint nicely, but make an unworkmanlike job,to which seriousobjections are made. By making my conical hole so small relatively tothe cone or taper of dowel that the latter may be seated to a greaterorless extent, I can always obtain a snug fit and turn out work to whichno objection can be made; hence,

XVhat I claim as new, and desire to protect by Letters Patent, is

The combinatiomwith window-slats having tapered dowels or pivots, of thestiles A A. having below the seats a conical apertures d, which are madeon a more acute angle than the dowels, as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 28th day ofDecember, 1885.

STEPHEN PALMER.

YVitnesses:

Gno. A. MosHER, (Jr-ills. L. ALDEN.

